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A Novel Approach
Mortar Board holds book drive Nov. 17-20
By Jo Rey Lopez
“I was really impressed that college students had the charitable heart do something for a school to help improve the reading [of the students]” – Ricardo Anderson, Asst. Principal at Cass Street Elementary School
As Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) faces crushing financial concerns, the UW-Milwaukee chapter of the Mortar Board vows to help one local school replenish its library by hosting a campus-wide book drive Nov. 17-20.
Mortar Board members got involved with Cass Street Elementary School in mid-October, when research revealed that many schools in the area lack classroom materials like books.
In response, the members have organized locations throughout campus where book donations of any reading level will be received.
New and gently used books will be accepted in the UWM Student Union, Enderis Hall, Engelmann Hall and Chapman Hall beginning Monday Nov. 17.
“The book drive is to get books of all different reading levels to then sort and then give to different age groups at Cass Street Elementary school,” said Claire Woodall, Intern Director of Communications for the UWM Mortar Board.
Students in K-fifth grades have small in-class libraries. The goal is to restock the depleted classroom libraries with new and different reading materials to supplement textbook readings. The books will be there for students to select for reading during the 90 minute daily reading times in class.
“I was really impressed that college students had the charitable heart do something for a school to help improve the reading [of the students],” said Asst. Principal Ricardo Anderson of Cass Street Elementary School.
Anderson said he really appreciates all the time and money that the Mortar Board members have put into developing the program.
The book drive spawned from another idea the Mortar Board members had. Their Turkey-for-a Day fundraiser, held Oct. 13-17, collected over $1,100 for books to be placed in the older students’ classes. The goal of the fundraiser was to generate money for Cass Street students in sixth-eighth grade classrooms that don’t have in-class libraries, like the younger student have. Mortar members commissioned 14 professors to take part in a contest to raise donations.
The winner was the faculty member with the most donations at week’s end. The victor got the honor of wearing a turkey costume while conducting their daily affairs around campus. The turkey suit was donned not just by the winner, but four other professors got to walk the hallowed halls of campus while sporting the giant bird suit. “This is something that we’re hoping will go on for years [and] it’s a great opportunity to donate for a great cause,” said Kevin Castleberry, the current president of the Milwaukee’s chapter of the Mortar Board speaking about the contest.
“Just the gratification of seeing books in the classrooms -- the gratification for that is fantastic,” Castleberry said about being involved in the project.
The Mortar Board is an honor society that is running a national service project in literacy called, “Reading is Leading”. To become a member of Mortar Board, students must have a G.P.A. above 3.0, have senior standing in any undergraduate program and have demonstrated leadership and service while in college.
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